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Hit With More Power

Gene Coleman - Houston Astros

Work on your legs, not your arms. Hitting starts with your legs and ends with your arms
and hands. When Jeff Bagwell hits a ball out of sight, the press is quick to credit his
power to the strength of his hands and forearms. While strong hands and forearms are
important, not even Arnold Schwarzenegger has enough strength to hit a ball 400 feet
using only his forearms.

Why? Because almost 50% of your total muscle mass is located
in your hips and legs and less than 5% is located in your forearms and hands The force
that your hands apply to the bat are initiated in your legs, transferred through your
trunk and then applied to the bat. The final impact is the sum of the forces generated
by the legs, trunk, arms and hands.

Do 1x10 of the following exercises at a slow to
moderate speed. Add a set each week to a max of 3x10. Then repeat the exercises with
3 to 5-pound dumbbells in each hand or while wearing a 10-pound vest.

SQUATS
Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder
width and your hands extended forward in a fielding position. Keep both heels flat on the
ground, head up and eyes straight ahead as you bend at the hips and knees until your
finger tips touch the ground. Pause a second and return.

LUNGES
Stand with your feet together. Step forward with
your left foot as if reaching for a throw at first base. Keep your head up and eyes forward
as you bend your left knee until the left thigh is parallel to the ground. Pause a second,
push back with the ball of your left foot and return. Do 10 reps and then work the right
leg.

STEP-UPS
Stand a step away from a 12-inch box or bench.
Step-up on to the box with the right foot and drive the left knee and right arm up (as in
running) with enough force to pull the right foot 2-3 inches off the box. Step down on the
left foot and repeat. Do all reps with the right leg before working the left.

ONE-LEG PUSHOFFS
Stand behind and to the side of a 12-inch
high box with your right foot on the left corner of the box. Extend your right leg and
explode up as high as you can. Throw your arms up for more height and balance. Land on
your right foot, bend your right ankle and knee, slowly lower your left foot to the ground
and repeat.

To get more information about Dr. Coleman's technique's
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